14 Day South Island at Leisure

Arrive at Christchurch and collect your car hire. Make your way into the city and to your first night’s accommodation. Start exploring the new vibrant city that is Christchurch straight away.

This morning you head to Punakaiki. Turn inland to travel through the Canterbury Plains and over the beautiful Arthur’s Pass. Along the way you will see the awesome engineering feats of the Otira Viaduct and Tunnel.

You will have time to stop and look around before descending through some fantastic alpine scenery and on down Greymouth, then it is a short trip north to stay the night at Punakaiki, best known for its Pancake Rocks and Blowholes – both of which are spectacular and a must-see when visiting the West Coast.

After a morning of sightseeing head south today down the West Coast. There are some great old towns to visit on the way as well as some fantastic places to photograph the scenery and take a look at the dramatic coastline, you have time to enjoy this area at a leisurely pace.

Continue south through to Franz Josef Glacier where you are staying for 2 nights.

It is a day of leisure. There is lots to explore in this area – you can take your own time walking up to the glacier, going to the Okarito Lagoon or join a guided walk on the glacier, take a Heli-hike adventure, or a scenic flight over both glaciers.

Today, view incredible scenery as you travel past the untouched native forests and pristine lakes of the World Heritage Westland National Park and Haast Pass as you travel onto Wanaka for your 2-night stay.

This morning join a small group of fellow travelers on a relaxing visit to a very cute island. Often called the jewel of Wanaka, Ruby is small but very photogenic. The eclectic mix of exotic and native plants adds a foreground to the colors of the lake and the mountains behind.

Your guided walk around the island is one of the easiest Wanaka walks and suitable for all ages. Visit the remains of a dance hall from the days of prohibition in Otago, learn about Manuka Honey and enjoy some great photo opportunities. The majestic mountains of the Southern Alps provide the perfect backdrop to your holiday pictures.

There’s time to wander around the popular lakeside township of Wanaka before travelling over the spectacular Crown Range to the historic gold mining village of Arrowtown and then on to Queenstown, a beautiful alpine resort town regarded as New Zealand’s premier holiday destination.

Enjoy a day to experience this magnificent resort. Surrounded by majestic mountains, Queenstown boasts adventure activities in all forms, from extreme to relaxed exploration. Here you can experience the Ultimate bungy jump, pan for gold, raft the white-water rapids, follow a wine trail, fish for trout, play golf – your options are endless.

This afternoon you will drive out to Gibbston Valley Winery to take part in Wine & Cheese tour. This tour is investigatory and educational. You will get a chance to explore the incredible intricacies of wine and cheese pairing. They will illustrate how the land is indispensable to their products, and what the craft does to bring the best out of land and place. Wine & Cheese tours last 30 minutes and include three wine and cheese tastings.